Football is a team sport in which opposing teams of 11 players defend goals at opposite ends of a field having goal posts at each end. The object of the game is to score points by carrying the ball across the opponent’s goal line or kicking it over the crossbar between the opponent’s goal posts. The first team to score 10 points wins the game. The ball used in the game is an inflated oval with a bladder contained in a casing usually made of leather. It is primarily kicked, although it may be carried. A variety of rules govern the conduct of the game and penalties are imposed for infringements of the rules.
The modern game of football evolved from several different types of contested ball games in medieval Europe, most notably rugby and handball. The name football is probably derived from the fact that it was originally played with the foot (as opposed to hand). It is thought that it was English public schools that developed four key features of the modern game. These include taking football away from its “mob” form and establishing formalised rules, codifying the game to enable matches to be played between clubs.
Modern football teams have a wide range of specialist positions, some of which were not always part of the game at its origin. For example, the specialized position of kick returner (also known as a punt returner) carries the ball after a kickoff or punt and attempts to run downfield for yards. Other special positions are the center (also called the centre) of a team’s offensive line who passes the ball between his legs to the quarterback at the beginning of each play, and the long snapper, who prepares to snap the ball to the kicker or punter.
The basic rules of football are simple. A team must advance the ball at least ten yards in a series of four downs or plays, and they must kick it through the opposition’s end zone to earn six points (a touchdown). Points can also be scored by kicking the ball through the end-zone structure for three points (a field goal), and tackling an opponent who has the ball in their own end zone for two points (a safety).
Football matches are normally one hour long with a 15-minute break in between. There are two halves and the winning team is the team that scores the most points in each half. Each team is allowed a maximum of three substitutions during the course of the match. Most football clubs have their own stadium and most have a range of merchandise, including jerseys, caps and mugs. Many teams also publish fanzines, in which fans write and publish their own articles about the club. A minority of clubs also have their own newspaper or magazine, often published monthly. This is a major source of revenue for many clubs, and has helped them to sustain a competitive level in the modern game.